Multiple gestation: time interval between delivery of the first and second twins.

Journal ArticleA clinical investigation was undertaken to challenge the commonly accepted view that the interval between the birth of the first and second twins should be preferably within 15 minutes and certainly no more than 30 minutes. During 1981 and 1982, 115 patients with live-born twins at 34 or more weeks' gestation underwent an attempted vaginal delivery at four regional perinatal centers. The interval between vaginal delivery of the first and second twins (mean, 21 minutes, range, one to 134 minutes) was 15 minutes or less in 70 (61%) cases and more than 15 minutes in 45 (39%) cases. Excluding conditions associated primarily with prematurity, all second twins delivered beyond 15 minutes did well despite the delay and had no signs of excess trauma or low five-minute Apgar scores. Maternal complications were also uncommon, although combined vaginal-abdominal delivery was more frequent if there was a delay of more than 15 minutes (eight of 45 versus two of 70, P less than .02). The authors conclude that if there is continuous fetal and uterine monitoring, a time restriction for the delivery interval between the first and second infants is not necessary

A simple flip of an obstetrics clerkship lecture focusing on interactive learning

Abstract Objective: To determine the value of interactive learning after a low-tech flip of a traditional lecture during an obstetrics and gynecology clerkship. Design: All third-year medical students completed a flipped learning experience between May 2014 and April 2016. Central to the change was replacement of a mid-clerkship lecture ("late term and prolonged gestation") with interactive learning at seven stations by student pairs (one each on separate obstetrics and gynecology services). Before class, students electronically received a handout that described learning objectives, subject background, and interactive stations. The stations featured manipulative models, instruments, data, and images involving prenatal care, fetal growth and testing, and labor and delivery decision-making. Results: The flipped model was easily executed with proper preparation. The 178 consecutive students completed the two mandated surveys. The median score given by students about the same instructor's effectiveness increased from 4.0 (previous two years) to 4.4 (on a 5-point scale). Compared with traditional lectures by other clerkship faculty, the flipped classroom was judged by students to be easier for understanding and more interactive. Students perceived being more responsible for learning with better recall and application to practice. Conclusions: A low-tech approach to the flipped classroom was easily executed with favorable responses from students about interactive learning

Direct ionization and electron capture in M

This article discusses direct ionization and electron capture in M-shell x-ray production by fluorine ions

The Physical and Genetic Framework of the Maize B73 Genome

Maize is a major cereal crop and an important model system for basic biological research. Knowledge gained from maize research can also be used to genetically improve its grass relatives such as sorghum, wheat, and rice. The primary objective of the Maize Genome Sequencing Consortium (MGSC) was to generate a reference genome sequence that was integrated with both the physical and genetic maps. Using a previously published integrated genetic and physical map, combined with in-coming maize genomic sequence, new sequence-based genetic markers, and an optical map, we dynamically picked a minimum tiling path (MTP) of 16,910 bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) and fosmid clones that were used by the MGSC to sequence the maize genome. The final MTP resulted in a significantly improved physical map that reduced the number of contigs from 721 to 435, incorporated a total of 8,315 mapped markers, and ordered and oriented the majority of FPC contigs. The new integrated physical and genetic map covered 2,120 Mb (93%) of the 2,300-Mb genome, of which 405 contigs were anchored to the genetic map, totaling 2,103.4 Mb (99.2% of the 2,120 Mb physical map). More importantly, 336 contigs, comprising 94.0% of the physical map (∼1,993 Mb), were ordered and oriented. Finally we used all available physical, sequence, genetic, and optical data to generate a golden path (AGP) of chromosome-based pseudomolecules, herein referred to as the B73 Reference Genome Sequence version 1 (B73 RefGen_v1)

Genome-Wide Analyses Reveal a Role for Peptide Hormones in Planarian Germline Development

Genomic/peptidomic analyses of the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea identifies >200 neuropeptides and uncovers a conserved neuropeptide required for proper maturation and maintenance of the reproductive system

TLR9 expression in glioma tissues correlated to glioma progression and the prognosis of GBM patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Our study aims to evaluate the expression of TLR9 in glioma tissues, examine the association between TLR9 expression, clinicopathological variables, and glioma patient outcome, we further characterized the direct effects of TLR9 agonist CpG ODN upon the proliferation and invasion of glioma cells <it>in vitro</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>RT-PCR and immunofluorescence were used to determine the expression of TLR9 in glioma cell lines and clinical glioma samples. Tissue microarry and immunohistochemistry were applied to evaluated TLR9 expression in 292 newly diagnosed glioma and 13 non-neoplastic brain tissues. We further investigated the effect of CpG ODN on the proliferation and invasion of glioma cells <it>in vitro </it>with MTT assays and matrigel transwell assay respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>RT-PCR showed that TLR9 expressed in all the glioma samples and glioma cell lines we examined. The tissue array analysis indicated that TLR9 expression is correlated with malignancy of glioma (p < 0.01). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that TLR9 expression is an independent prognostic factor for PFS of GBM patients(P = 0.026). TLR9 agonist CpG ODN has no significant effect on glioma proliferation, but matrigel transwell analysis showed that TLR9 agonist CpG ODN can significantly enhance glioma invasion <it>in vitro</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our data indicated that TLR9 expression increases according to the histopathological grade of glioma, and the TLR9 expression level is related to the PFS of GBM patients. In addition, our findings warrant caution in the directly injection of TLR9 agonist CpG ODN into glioma tissues for the glioma immunotherapy.</p

L

Article discussing research on L- and M-shell x-ray production cross sections of Nd, Gd, Ho, Yb, Au, and Pb by 25-MeV carbon and 32-MeV oxygen ions

Proteostasis Dysregulation in Pancreatic Cancer

The most common form of pancreatic cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), has a dismal 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. Radical surgical resection, in combination with adjuvant chemotherapy, provides the best option for long-term patient survival. However, only approximately 20% of patients are resectable at the time of diagnosis, due to locally advanced or metastatic disease. There is an urgent need for the identification of new, specific, and more sensitive biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction to improve the treatment options for pancreatic cancer patients. Dysregulation of proteostasis is linked to many pathophysiological conditions, including various types of cancer. In this review, we report on findings relating to the main cellular protein degradation systems, the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy, in pancreatic cancer. The expression of several components of the proteolytic network, including E3 ubiquitinligases and deubiquitinating enzymes, are dysregulated in PDAC, which accounts for approximately 90% of all pancreatic malignancies. In the future, a deeper understanding of the emerging role of proteostasis in pancreatic cancer has the potential to provide clinically relevant biomarkers and new strategies for combinatorial therapeutic options to better help treat the patients.Peer reviewe